was open 24 hours known not only as nightclub but bar restaurant offered pool table downstairs free of charge all hours breakfast specials coiscant and carpaccio $3 various others trademark drink frozen mudslide biker mural on side of building was portrait of locals such as Chip English drummer of Luna Chicks and favored by Debbie Harry and Joey Romone low profile local staple

A number of well-known acts performed at the Sidewalk at the beginning of their career including Regina Spektor, Lana Del Rey, Hamell on Trial, Lach, The Moldy Peaches. The Sidewalk Cafe is also home to an open mic night that is one of the oldest and largest traditional open mics in the city,[1] garnering the name "the king of NYC open-mic nights."[2] The open mic was founded by Lach but is currently being run by Somer Bingham. It also hosts the bi-annual New York Antifolk Festival, which features the largest gathering of anti-folk musicians in the nation.[3][4]